Mkhedrioni

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The Mkhedrioni (Georgian: მხედრიონი, romanized: mkhedrioni) was a Georgian nationalist paramilitary organisation founded in 1989 by Jaba Ioseliani. It emerged during Georgia's transition to independence from the Soviet Union and played a major role in the Georgian Civil War and the War in Abkhazia. The Mkhedrioni was notorious for intimidation and criminal activities, including extortion, smuggling, robbery, and operating illegal roadblocks. It was banned by President Zviad Gamsakhurdia in 1991, regained influence after participating in the 1991–92 Georgian coup d'état that overthrew Gamsakhurdia, and was outlawed again in 1995 after the authorities accused Ioseliani and others of involvement in the attempted assassination of President Eduard Shevardnadze. After failing to secure registration to contest elections under its own name, it reconstituted itself as the Union of Patriots political party, which was also refused registration.